The present work is a critical review of metal exchange (transmetalation) involving metal nodes and metalated struts in metal–organic frameworks. Particular emphasis is given to drawing parallels between different examples of transmetalation in order to understand the influence of coordination environment, solvents, nature of the metals and other variables on the process. We hope that the present review will be of use to those involved in the incorporation of various metal centers to create isostructural MOFs and study their properties.